Slack adjuster



Iuly 25,1939.y vm HELSTEN SLACK ADJUSTER `2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1957 Patented July 25, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SLACK ADJ USTER Wesley Helsten, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a. corporation of New Jersey Application December 18, 1937,V Serial o. 180,476

Claims.

My invention relates to a novel design of slack adjuster for use in railway brake rigging.

An object of my invention is to devise a slack adjuster suitable for use with a well known type v5 of rigging, illustrated for example in Simanek l form yet sturdy construction, of a form which will permit ready and easy assembly or dismantling of the parts and which will meet all requirements of normal operating conditions.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent zo from a consideration of the following specica tion and the associated drawings and claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan View of my novel form of slack adjuster;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2; r

Figure 4 is a sectional view in a vertical plane through the slack adjuster at the point of connection with the associated brake lever, the section being taken substantially in the transverse plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a transverse section in a vertical plane substantially as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 1, the section being taken through the point of connection to the wheel straps usually associated with this type of slack adjuster.

Describing the structure in more detail,it will be observed that it comprises the housing or u main body portion 2, a jaw-shaped or U-like structure having the top wall 4 and the bottom wall 6 with a lightening opening 8, said top and bottom walls presenting at their outer ends an open jaw between which may be received the 5 end block I0, said block being secured in position by the bolt and nut assemblies I2, I2, said assemblies serving also to retain in position the top and bottom plates I4 and I6 having the inturned anges I8 and 20 which serve as retaining 50 means for the slack adjuster screw 22. The screw 22 has the integrally formed hexagonal head or nut 24 with the annular flange 26 at the base of said head, said ange underlying the beforementioned retaining 4flanges I8 and 20.

u, 'Ihe screw 22 has an unthreaded neck portion.

(Cl. 18S-197) indicated at 28 which is seated within the opening 30 centrally formed for that purpose in the end ,block I6 as most clearly shown in Figure 2. The relative position of the screw 22 and the end block l0 is maintained by the adjustable posi- 3 tioning means 32, 32 of well known form. The inner end of the screw 22 extends through the slidable block 34 and` is threaded therein. The block 34 is received between the top and bottom walls 4 and 6 of the slack adjuster housing and m positioned therein by abutment of the edges of the top and bottom walls as at 36 and 38 (Figure 5) against the jaw ends 40,46 of the slidable block 34. The jaws 40 are defined by ythe inner wall 42, the outer wall 44 and the bottom wall 116 46 forming therebetween a slot or channel Within which may be received the ends o1" the straps 45, extending on opposite sides of an associated wheel. Centrally formed in the walls 42 and 44 are the aligned openings 48 and 50 bushed 20 as indicated at 52, 52 for the reception of the strap retaining pin 54. Securing means for the pins 54, 54 may be in the form of Cotter keys (not shown) received in the aligned openings indicated at 56, 56. 25

vAt the closed or inner end of the housing the top and bottom walls have the flanged and reflanged formations indicated at 58, 58 (Figure 4) serving as guide means for the wheel straps which extend therebetween and are secured by 30 the pins 54, 54 as previously described. The flange structures 58, 58 also provide abutment as at 60 and 62 for the slidable block 34. Formed on the inner end of the housing are the spaced lugs 64 and 66 integrally joining the top and 35 bottom walls 4 and 6, said lugs having the centrally formed openings indicated at 63 and E9 bushed as shown at 'l2 and 14 for the reception of the. pin '[6 which serves as securing means for the brake lever 'l1 which is interposed between 40 the lugs 64 and 66. The pin 16 may be secured in position as by a cotter key (not shown) received within the aligned openings indicated at 18.

` As will be readily apparent to those skilled in 5 the art, adjustment is' furnished by varying the relative positions of the slidable block 34 (which carries the usual wheel straps) and the end of the brake lever which is secured by the pin 1S. The hexagonal nut or head 24 of the screw 22 50 may be rotated by a suitable tool, thus turning the screw 22 and thereby adjusting at will the position of the slidable block 34 between the end block Il)r and the abutments 60 and 62. Such movement of the sliding block 34 from the 55 inner end toward the outer end of the housing is effective to shorten the straps which straddle the wheels whereas movement in the opposite direction obviously increases their effective length.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a manual slack adjuster a housing having a closed end and top and bottom walls extending therefrom, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, a slidable block positioned between said walls, and a screw journaled in said end block with a head portion in abutment with said end block outwardly thereof and a shank having threaded engagement with said slidable block for adjustment thereof, spaced integral lugs at the closed end of said housing, aligned openings in said lugs, pivotal means in said opening for securing an associated brake lever, said slidable block having jaw means at each end thereof with aligned openings for the reception of pivot means for securing wheel straps on opposite sides of said brake lever, and guide means for said straps on said top and bottom walls adjacent the closed end of said housing.

2. In a manual slack adjuster a housing having a closed end and top and bottom walls extending therefrom, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, a slidable block positioned between said walls, said block comprising jaws at the opposite ends thereof and pivot means in said jaws, and a screw journaled in said end block with a head portion in abutment with said end block outwardly thereof and a shank having threaded engagement with said slidable block for adjustment thereof, said housing having at its closed end opposed flanges and integrally formed lugs with aligned openings, pivot means in said openings for securing an associated brake lever, said opposed flanges being aligned with said jaws respectively to form guide means with associated wheel straps.

3. In a manual slack adjuster a U-shaped housing comprising top and bottom walls, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, an adjuster block positioned between said walls, and a screw journaled in said end block and having operating means at its external end and a shank in threaded engagement with said adjuster block for movement thereof, said adjuster block presenting jaws at the opposite sides of said housing for connection to wheel straps on opposite sides of an associated brake lever, said top and bottom walls having adjacent the closed end of said housing flanged and reanged structures forming guide channels for said wheel straps.

4. In a manual slack adjuster a U-shaped housing comprising top and bottom walls, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, an adjuster block positioned between said walls, and a screw journaled in said end block and having operating means at its external end and a shank in threaded engagement with said adjuster block for movement thereof, said adjuster block presenting jaws at the opposite sides of said housing for connection to wheel straps on opposite sides of an associated brake lever, and guide means on said top and bottom walls for said wheel straps.

5. In a slack adjuster a U-shaped housing having top and bottom walls, an adjuster block slidably positioned therebetween, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, a screw journaled in said end block and extending through said adjuster block in threaded engagement therewith, means on the closed end of said housing for pivotal connection to an associated brake lever, said adjuster block having jaw means at its opposite ends for pivotal connection to associated wheel straps, and opposed anges on said housing adjacent said closed end and in alignment with said jaws.

6. In a slack adjuster a U-shaped housing having top and bottom walls, an adjuster block slidably positioned therebetween, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, a screw journaled in said end block and extending through said adjuster block in threaded engagement therewith, means on the closed end of said housing for pivotal connection to an associated brake lever, said adjuster block having jaw means at its opposite ends for pivotal connection to associated wheel straps, and guide means on said walls for said straps.

'7. In a manual slack adjuster a U-shaped housing comprising top and bottom walls having opposed anges adjacent the closed end of said housing, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, an adjuster block positioned between said walls, and a screw journaled in said end block and having operating means at its external end and a shank in threaded engagement with said adjuster block for movement thereof, said adjuster block presenting jaws in alignment with said flanges at the opposite sides of said housing for connection to wheel straps on opposite sides of an associated brake lever.

8. In a manual slack adjuster a housing having a closed end with top and bottom walls extending therefrom, lateral flanges on said top and bottom walls adjacent said closed end, an adjuster block slidably positioned between said walls and having pivot means extending outwardly of said walls, an end block joining said top and bottom walls and closing the open end of said housing, and a screw journaled in said end block and having external operating means in abutment therewith, the shank of said screw having threaded engagement with said adjuster block for positioning thereof, means for securing said operating means in abutment with said end block, and wheel straps connected in said pivot means and in guiding engagement with said flanges.

9. In a manual slack adjuster a body portion of general U-shape structure and comprising top and bottom walls, pivot means at the closed end of said housing for connection to an associated brake lever, guide flanges at the opposite sides of said housing adjacent said pivot means, a slidable block positioned between said walls and presenting jaws in alignment with said flanges respectively, an end block closing the open end of said structure, and a screw having an end in threaded engagement with said slidable block and operable means at its opposite end, and means for retaining said operable means in abutment against said end block.

l0. In a manual slack adjuster a U-shaped housing comprising top and bottom walls, a slidable block positioned between said walls, and having jaw means at opposite ends, wheel straps in said jaws, pivot means connectingk said jaws and straps, an end block closing the open end of said housing, a screw journaled in said end block and having operating means at its external end and threaded engagement with said slidable block inwardly of said journaled portion, and means for retaining said journaled portion within said end block.

11. In a manual slack adjuster a housing hav ing a closed end and top and bottom walls extending therefrom, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, a slidable block positioned between said walls, and having jaws at the opposite ends thereof, wheel straps pivotally connected in said jaws, a screw journaled in said end block with a` head portion in abutment with said end block outwardlyzthereof, and a shank having threaded engagement with said slidable block for adjustment thereof, and guide means on said top and bottom walls for said wheel straps.

12. In a manual slack adjuster a housing having a closed end and top and bottom walls extending therefrom, guide means on said walls adjacent said closed end, an end block joining said walls at the open end 0f said housing, a slidable block positioned between said walls, a screw journaled in said end block with a head portion in abutment with said end block outwardly thereof and a shank having threaded engagement with said slidable block for adjustment thereof, said slidable block having a jaw portion at each end thereof and wheel straps pivotally connected in said jaw portions and having engagement with said guide means.

13. In a manual slack adjuster a U-shaped housing comprising top and bottom walls with guide means, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, an adjuster block positioned between said walls, a screw journaled in said end block and having operating means at its external end and a shank in threaded engagement with said adjuster block for movement thereof, pivot means at the closed end of said housing for connection to an associated brake lever, and wheel straps pivotally connected at the opposite ends of said adjuster block and received between said guide means.

14. In a slack adjuster a U-shaped housing having top and bottom walls with guide means, an adjuster block slidably positioned therebetween and presenting pivot means at the opposite ends thereof, an end block joining said walls at the open end ofl said housing, a screw journaled in said end block and extending through said adjuster block in threaded engagement therewith, means on the closed end of said housing for pivotal connection to an associated brake lever, and wheel straps extending between said guide means and connected respectively to said pivot means.

15. In a slack adjuster a U-shaped housing having top and bottom walls, guide flanges on said walls adjacent the closed end of said housing, an adjuster block slidably positioned therebetween and having jaw ends with pivot means therein, an end block joining said walls at the open end of said housing, a screw journaled inv said end block and extending through said adjuster block in threaded engagement therewith, and wheel straps connected to said pivot means and guided by said flanges, and a brake lever pivoted to said closed end.

WESLEY HELSTEN.

Cil 

